By Marianne Schulze

Through their high density, cities are more sustainable than the single-family homes in the suburbs. However, the verdict is still out whether the climate protection goals can be reached in the cities.

Everyone is talking about climate change. The past few summer weeks have given us a hint of what is to come: while some have almost died of heat and have suffered from water shortages, others are drowning in (rain) floods. Even in places where there were no extremes, hefty storms caused damages and general unease. Everyone, however, agrees the time has come to change our lifestyle to a more sustainable one. This, however, is easier said than done.

Important industry: the real estate industry

The demand for more sustainability applies to everyone and all industries, as well as the real estate industry. Architects, facility managers, civil engineers, HVACR technicians, and building companies have long been dealing with this subject. Investors, however, have a lot of catching up to do. This topic could become interesting, particularly to them.

Here are a few figures upfront. CO2 emissions, which are known as the cause of the climate change, at least 25-30 percent in Europe and roughly 40 percent in the USA is caused by buildings in operation – through heating, air-condition, and energy consumption. Besides that, what is necessary for producing and transporting building materials, and the building outfitting, as well as demolition and waste disposal at the end of the lifecycle, also leads to more CO2 emissions.